A self-aware life is roughly forty years long. It feels unfair to decide its direction just once a year in the form of goals. If I were good at math, that would mean forty goals—allowing life to take forty turns. Yet we are barely scratching the surface of our untapped potential.
Most yearly goals are not even ours. That is why most people struggle to follow them through the year. In fact, the majority give up in the first month. This happens because they never truly wanted to pursue those goals in the first place. If you do not believe me, ask a bartender. Pubs and bars profit from our weaknesses and failures. They sell the highest number of non-alcoholic drinks and vegetarian food in January—because of New Year’s resolutions. Gyms experience the same surge in January sign-ups for the same reason. Both businesses know the enthusiasm will fade and life will return to normal. You fail; they succeed.
My point is simple: if you cannot keep the promises you make to yourself, stop making them. Stop viewing life year by year; start viewing it day by day. You can choose a direction today and change it tomorrow. Gradual progress is possible when you move in the right direction. An authentic direction is the right direction.
Instead of making yearly resolutions, take the year to double down on living authentically. Choose your next step based on what feels true to you. Take time to think and observe your life. Detach yourself from the noise that dictates what your goals should be. Be bold and unapologetic about who you are. Reclaim the confidence to define happiness on your own terms. The only resolution you truly need is to live an authentic life. Once you do that, you will never need another goal to help you fit into the system.
Living an authentic life is not easy, and understanding what is authentic is even harder. That is why authenticity cannot be a yearly goal; it must be a daily one. In fact, it is not a goal at all—it is a way of living. When you begin to live this way, it brings freedom. Joy does not come from achieving perfection. Joy comes from authenticity. Authenticity is always imperfect because it is unique to you. Perfection is objective—it looks the same for everyone—and therefore, it is inauthentic.
A person playing the guitar on the street can be more authentic than a CEO running a large company, and the opposite can also be true. To live authentically, we often need to stop doing things rather than start new ones. Stop seeing life through other people’s lenses. Stop following traditions blindly. Stop believing without questioning—stop believing altogether, if necessary.
There are ways to discover what feels authentic to you. Be creative. Creativity is original; it cannot be copied or stolen. When you truly create something, you see your reflection in it—whether it is writing, filmmaking, speaking, or painting. Create consistently, then observe. But observation alone is not enough. Take action. Fail fast. Nothing teaches you more about yourself than failure. Do not overthink. Do not over-plan. If I explain more methods, they would stop being authentic anyway. You must discover what works for you and act on it.
The world changes every year. What remains constant is you—your authenticity. Do not let go of it. Hold it, understand it, and follow it. It will never lead you in the wrong direction. This is the only New Year goal you need.
